Differential gear for motor-vehicles.



Q PATENTBD MAI 19, 1903; v 1

M.-G'.D'ES IMONE., I DIFFERENTIAL GEAR FOR MOTOR" VEHICLES.

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I0 IODEL p wi b N .R w: k S N K UNITED STATES MICHELE GU GLIELMO DE SIMON-E, OF SPEZIA, ITALY.

DIFFERENTIAL GEAR FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,420, dated May 19, 1903. Application filed February 2', 1903. Serial No. 141,454. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it kn'own that I, MICHELE GUGLIELMO DE SIMONE, mechanical engineer, residing at 7 Via Carpenino, Spezia, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Differential Gear for Motor-Oars and other Vehicles, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to differential gear for motor-cars and other vehicles.

Diiferential gear as hitherto made comprises two separate portions capable of inde pendent movement at all times, and such gear usually consists of pinions carried by a revolving frame and gearing with bevelwheels, one on the axle of each wheel, so that on any unequalresistance one of the wheels can revolvewith a greater or less speed than the other. Consequently any roughness of the ground .or obstacle met with causes jonef Wheel to slacken speed, imparting an undulating movement'to the vehicle when not required and rendering it necessary to give constant attention to the steering mechanism. Such action also renders it difficult for the vehicle to properly surmount any slight obstacle in its path.

It is the object of my invention to provide a differential gear which shall obviate these defects, while allowing of the proper differential motion when the wheels or vehicle are turned from the straight course by the steering-gear. To this end and according to my invention I connect a part driven by the mo-v tor to the opposite wheels through the medium of a clutch mechanism so adapted that the movement of the steering-gear to turn the vehicle, say, to the left serves to release the clutch on that side and allow the wheel'thereat to have the necessary freedom of motion to compensate for the difference in motion between it and the wheel on the other'side.

I have illustrated in the. accompanying I drawings one form of my improved differential gear.

Figure lis a half-sectional plan of a divided wheel-axle having my invention ap-- the same purpose.

of a wheel-axle or parts to which the wheels are fixed. B is a sleeve inclosing the adjacent ends of said axle, which are free to revolve therein. motor or other source of power and is connected at each side to the axles A A through a clutch mechanism comprising a series of disks 1 3 5 7, carried and driven by the said sleeve and disposed alternately with other disks 0 2 4 6 8, driven by the axle. The number of said disks may be varied as required,

and all the disks are adapted to slide longitudinally of the axle and are mounted in an enlarged portion B of the sleeve. For this purpose the disks 1, 3, 5, and 7 are provided with peripheral notches n, wlijich engage and slide upon feathers p on the enlarged portion B of the sleeve, while the disks 02 4 6 8 are carried upon a square portion q of the shaft for F is a' sliding collar disks in frictional contact with one another underjthe action of a spring M, the tension of the spring being regulated bya nut D, screwed upon the axle and having a recess cl for re? ceiving thespring.

-L L are connecting-levers by which the sleeves F are slid into and out of gear with the disks by the movements of the steeringpillar o, the levers L L being connected to the pillar 0 by means of flexible connections, such asvwire, rope, chain, or other suitable means, (indicated at L The steeringpillarjo may berconne'cted directly toythe The sleeve 13 is driven by the 5 adapted to keep the front axle or may be provided with any usual or suitable connections 'to the front wheels.

'Thethrustof the spring is confined to the axle by jmeansofthe nut D, on the one hand, andanut orthrust-block P, secured upon the, axle beyond the clutch mechanism. The disks may be of various forms in crosssection. For instance, they may be alternately'concave and convex or corrugated,-

and they may be formed of'a core or center plate, the frictionalsurfaces being covered withvulcanized fiber, hard and soft met'al, leather, or other suitable material.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4 the wheels or are mounted, so as to be free, at the ends of a through-axle b, which is in one piece. In this form the wheel-hubs are received upon a sleeve 0, which is fixed to the shaft 0.

axle and has a projecting flange or disk c. f is a box or drum fixed to the wheel and projecting over and inclosing the flange e. Within the drumfis inclosed the clutch mechanism, similar to that previously described and comprising a series of disks alternately disposed, one set, 9, being connected to and adapted to drive the drumfand the other set, it, being driven'from the axle b by a squared part 1) thereof. 2' is a disk inclosing the frictiondisks between it and the flange e and pressed thereonto by a spring j, embracing the shaft and abutting atits other end against a ring it, fixed to the axle. The pressure-disk is extended to form a flanged collar Z, which is slid upon the shaft against the action of the spring by a system of levers 'm, and connecting-ropes n n from the steering pillar or I prefer to have each of the wheels fixed on one part of the axle and a separate motor-driven sleeve or similar member between the two parts of the axle, thus avoiding any substantial friction between the driven and driving parts when a clutch is released. Where the entire axle rotates constantly, even though a wheel be unclntched 'therefrom, it bears thereon by reason of the Weight of the vehicle, and there is a tendency to transmit the rotation of the axle to the wheel, thus neutralizing, at least in part, the efiect of unclutching and causing the vehicle to make a longer turn.

In operation of the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3, assuming the vehicle to be taking a straight course, the clutch mechanism on either side will be in full operation, connecting up the shafts A A, so that they form, as it were, a solid shaft, in which it is impossible for one end to move at a different speed to the other. Therefore should any obstacles be met by the wheels it will be properly surmounted without the vehicle altering its course. Should it, however, be desired to turn the vehicle from its course-as, for instance in passing around a corner-in the direction of the arrow X, the steering-pillar O is operated to turn the front pair of wheels, and immediately one of the connecting-levers-say Lis moved. The corresponding sleeve F is moved back against the spring M. The disks 0 to 8 are now released from end pressure, and consequently the disks on the shaft can move relatively to the disks carried by the sleeve, allowing the wheel on the axle A to have a necessarily slower motion than that on the axle A. The flexible connection L of the lever L is simply slackened during this position of the parts, and the corresponding spring M holds the shaft A clutched with exactly the same elastic pressure as when running straight. By reason of the combination of spring-clutches and flexible unclutching mechanism both clutches during straight running or the operative clutch dur-- ing turning automatically yield or return to clutching position under all conditions. As soon as the corner is turned and the front steering wheels are turned to resume a straight course the lever L, the corresponding sleeve F, and the disks of the corresponding clutch assume their original position, and the axles are rigidly connected, as before.

In the improved differential gear described the mechanical working thereof is independent of the conditions of adherence of the driving-wheels with the road. The gear is simple and can be made without teeth of any kind. The gear is'only brought into operation when it is required and does not take up any of the speed of the motor or vehicle, because the opposite wheels to which it is fitted are rigid or rigidly connected when the gear is not in action.

The operation of the construction shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and needs no further description.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The improved differential gear for vehicles, comprising the combination of a motordriven part, a pair of wheels opposite and independent of each other, a clutch mechanism between each wheel and said motor-driven part comprising a sleeve, a series of longitudinally-slidable disks driven from said sleeve by connections with their periphery, a shaft within said sleeve, a series of similar disks connected to rotate with said shaft and disposed alternately with the disks driven by the sleeve, means for allowing said disks to slide longitudinally on the shaft and in the sleeve, and a spring for exerting pressure on the disks to maintain them normally in driving contact with one another, means includ ing a steering-pillar for turning the vehicle from a straight course, and flexible means connected to said clutch mechanisms and operatively connected to said pillar whereby turning said pillar pulls 011 one of said connections and releases the corresponding clutch mechanism between one of the wheels and the motor-driven part and simultaneously slackens the other flexible member so as to leave the opposite clutch maintained in driving contact by its spring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The improved differential gear for motor-cars and other vehicles comprising the combination of an axle in two parts, a pair of wheels one fixed on each part of the axle, a motor-driven member operatively connected to the two parts of the axle, a clutch mechanism between one part of the axle and said member, a clutch mechanism between the other part of the axle and said member, springs for keeping the said clutch mechan' isms normally in driving contact, means in cluding a steering-pillar for turning the Vehicle from a straight course, and members of flexible material connected to said clutches and operatively connected to said pillar whereby turning said pillar pulls on one of said connections and releases the corresponding clutch mechanism between one of the IIO from said sleeve by connections at their periphery, a shaft within'said sleeve, a series of similar disks connected to rotate with said shaft and disposed alternately with the disks driven by the sleeve, means for allowing the said disks to slide longitudinally on the shaft and in the sleeve, and means for exerting and releasing pressure on the disks and so causing them to move into and out of driving contact with one another, substantially as set forth.

4. In differential gear for vehicles the combination with a motor-driven part and wheels opposite and independent of each other, of a clutch mechanism between each wheel and the motor-drivenpart and comprising a sleeve on said part, a series of friction-disks sliding within said sleeve and driven from the same by keyways on their periphery, a shaft within said sleeve and having a squared portion, a

series of friction-disks mounted soas to slide' upon and be driven by the'squared portion of said-shaft and disposed alternately with-the disks driven by the motor-driven part, a disk fixed to the shaftand disposed withirrsaid sleeve at its inner-end, a pressure-disk extendedjinto a flanged collar and sliding on the axle so as to inclose the friction-disks between it and the disk at the inner end ofthe sleeve,

a spring disposed around the shaft between the pressure-disk and an: abutment on" the shaft, a lever engaging thecollar on the pressure-disk and serving to slide the same against f the action of the spring, and means connecting the said lever to the steering mechanism of the vehicle so that each clutch is released to free the wheel required, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses. I

MICHELE enenmrno DE SIMONE.

Witnesses:

HENRY A. PRYOR, ROBERT M. SPEARPOINT. 

